US climate agency: February was the warmest month on record
February was the warmest month since the start of record-keeping by the US climate agency in 1880, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said yesterday.
The average temperature over land and oceans was 1.21 degrees Celsius above the 20th-century average of 12.1 degrees, according to the agency’s report for last month. The mark was 0.09 degrees warmer than the previous record set in December.
The data for February 2016 was 0.33 degrees higher than the same month a year ago.
The nine previous months also set average temperature records for their respective months, NOAA said.
In Februray, particularly warm spots were observed in parts of South America, Africa, southern and eastern Europe and South Asia. Unusual cold was measured only in parts of Asia.
2015 was the warmest year since records have been kept, according to NOAA.
- dpa
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